RV Nomads Movie Cast Members Show Off Their Cribs

In the past year or so, we’ve met up with some of the cast members from the upcoming Open Road RV Nomads Movie Documentary; either one-on-one or at convergences. While we were living up the boondocking life (no utility hookups) at Quartzsite and American Girl Mine in January, we worked closely collaborating with

Movie Producer and mastermind of this full-length feature film, Eric Odom, also an RVer whom we’ve spent time with at Quartzsite and American Girl Mine, put together quite a cast from all different types of RV’s. I’m assuming he did so with intent; to show those not familiar with this whole ‘nomadic movement’ that not only is it possible for people to go from living in a 3000 square foot home to a 300 square foot (or less!) RV but they doing it while searching for whatever they are out there on the road.

Each has their own reasons for choosing their own RV ‘crib’ (RV). Whether it’s because they are big and beautiful or small and stealthy, they suit their individual or family needs and comforts. We put together this montage of their ‘cribs’; asking each why they chose the RV they full-time travel, work and live in.

We are on our second RV crib; our 2016 Heartland Landmark 365 Ashland.

After two years of ownership, we finally personalized it to the way we wanted it inside…well, at least the living area for now. We added some much needed color and cool artwork that made it ‘ours’. Though it looks like other Heartland Landmarks on the outside, it’s far from being the same inside.

It made us fall in love with it all over again just like the first time we stepped foot in it back in December 2015.

Our first, a 2014 Heartland Cyclone 4100 toyhauler was initially purchased to satisfy our two life cravings; RV travel and motorcycling. After about 18 months, we re-evaluated our purpose and journey. After selling our Harley Davidson Softails, we yearned for more livable floorplan space for full-time living. Though there were features like that awesome party deck off our stern, we wanted more living space and comfort that the toyhauler just wasn’t giving us.

So enough about our crib. Let’s grab some popcorn and your favorite 5 o’clock somewhere, pull up a comfy seat and get ready for the show…

Drivin’ and Vibin’ – Kyle and Olivia Brady

We have a 16ft 1985 Fiber Stream travel trailer. When we were planning to hit the road, it was important to us that we remain debt free.

We wanted to use what resources we had available to us and we already owned a Ford Ranger in good working condition, so we began searching for something small and light enough to tow behind it. We have an affinity for all things vintage and we stumbled upon this cute little molded fiberglass trailer and it just spoke to us. Two and a half years later, we’re upgrading to a slightly larger vintage trailer, but we’re still grateful for the first little rig that helped us pursue our dream.

More Than A Wheelin – Bryce and Camille Attell

We have a 2016 Tiffin Allegro, Open Road, class A, gas coach. At 34 feet it’s the perfect size to get into almost all RV, national, and state parks.

It has two slide outs, providing ample room to spread out, as well an L-shape sofa in the event that we have company.

One of the perks is that it came with a fireplace! This wasn’t something we anticipated needing, but we’re so happy now to have one. It provides a cozy atmosphere while warming things up on chilly mornings. Overall we think we made a great choice as our rig provides everything we need and more.

Hebard’s Travels – John and Laura Hebard

Our current RV, or home, is a 2016 Forest River Cedar Creek 36CKTS. We bought it because the price was right, and it had almost everything on our wants and needs list.

It had the features we were looking for such as a full-size shower, slide toppers, heated storage bays, thermal windows, a table and chairs instead of a dinette, and a king size bed. Another huge perk is the almost 400 square feet which gives the two of us, the cat, and our two dogs (160lbs total) enough space for it to feel like a home.

Of course, the main reason we bought it was the price. It was a model year old and the dealer wanted it off the lot to bring in new units. So, they had marked it down 1/3 from MSRP. Which conveniently brought it right down into our price range.

Less Junk More Journey – Nathan and Marissa

When we started searching for an RV to travel in full-time, our first love was an Airstream. At the time we didn’t think it was “doable” for our family of 3, but we soon discovered it was the perfect space for us.

We started out with a couple of larger rigs thinking space was the most important feature to us. Over time, we made the shift toward flexibility being a bigger part of our lives. We wanted the flexibility of fitting into more campsites and the simplicity of Airstream. With no slides and more manual working parts, it was a great fit for less stress and more family time.

We chose a 08 Airstream Classic floor plan, because of all the large wraparound windows and the large closet to convert to a toddler bunk for our little one. We love our tiny home on wheels!

Exploring the Local Life – Robert and Jessica Meinhofer

We have a 26ft 2016 Forest River Grey Wolf 26DBH travel trailer with 1 slide and stacked bunks for the kids. We chose it for it’s simplicity, relatively small size, and low cost.

As first time RVers it has been ideal for our family of 6 (4 humans + 2 felines). There are days that we daydream about a bigger unit with a separate room for the kids and a laundry room, but then we remember that bigger price tag and the added length.

Audrey Callahan Music – Audrey and Shane

We have a Jayco Jayflight 34fkds travel trailer. It came into our lives very serendipitously and just so happens to match our needs.

We needed space enough for two offices (for our web development business) and a recording studio for Audrey’s music business. Also, in general, we thought we needed to have as much kitchen space, bedroom space and bathroom space as possible so that we could feel like we still had all the amenities of a regular home.

Now that we realize we do not actually need so much space, a smaller RV or Van would probably be preferred in some ways, however we are still very happy with our RV and plan to turn it into a house of sorts when we find the land we want to settle on.

Mortons on the Move

Our current RV is a 2005 DRV Mobile Suites 32TK3; with 32’ interior, telescoping kitchen and 3 slides. We bought this RV because we loved the size and floorplan.

We love the telescoping kitchen which gives us lots of counter space for cooking at home, which we do a lot. While it is older, our DRV fifth wheel was still in great condition when we got it due to the high-quality materials used in it. It has dual-pane windows, well-insulated walls, and real wood cabinets. It also has a large cargo carrying capacity of around 3000 lbs and large holding tanks (100 gal fresh, 50 gal black, 75 gal gray) to enable long stretches of off-grid boondocking – our favorite! We tow our home on wheels with a 2010 Dodge RAM 3500 DRW.

RVChickadee – Kelly Beasley

First, I needed to have a car to drive around in when I was parked, but didn’t want the maintenance of two motors to maintain, so that’s why I picked a travel trailer over a motorhome with a toad.

Second, the giant window at the butt of the rig sold me. My mind went wild thinking about the landscapes I would be looking at outside of that giant window! My landscape view fantasies have come true. I love that window. I also liked that the interior looked much more modern than most of the rigs I looked at. It held me over for quite a while, but I finally redecorated it in December, and now I am tempted to do the floors and the counters as well.“

Chickery’s Travels – Sean and Julie Chickery

Our current RV is a 2015 Heartland Cyclone 4200 Toyhauler Fifth Wheel. The most noticeable features are the patios (front and side), and the garage with a bed and additional bathroom. We selected this particular model for two reasons. First, we had a Harley Davidson TriGlide and liked that we could take it with us in the garage.

Second, our youngest son was still in college and we wanted a separate space for him when he came “home “on his school breaks. It worked out perfectly. Whenever we were parked, the Harley came out of the garage and it converted into a private bedroom complete with its own television & full bathroom. We’ve loved the last 3 years living and traveling in our rolling home!

RV Love – Marc and Julie Bennett

Our current RV is a 2012 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 35QBA – a spacious 36’ Class A gas motorhome with 4 slides.

Even though we don’t have kids, we chose the bunkhouse model and converted it into a dedicated, ergonomic space for Marc to work from.

The front passenger cockpit of our RV also had a pullout laptop tray which was ideal for Julie’s office. Work-life balance is high value for us both, so having two separate workspaces was the key driver when choosing our RV.

They are both comfortable, ergonomic and support our productivity without worrying about our computers taking over our living space. It helps us switch off more easily and enjoy the homeyness of our RV when work is done.

So there’s some of the cast members’ ‘cribs’. We hope you enjoyed reading about why they chose their RV and how they make their confines work for their lifestyles and their work. Similar to buying or renting a S&B (sticks and bricks) home, we choose our RVs to reflect our ‘us’.

To get to know the cast members, don’t forget to click on their channel links to keep updated on their own journeys.